Yes Spongebob is one of my favorite shows and it’s been with me since the very first stages of my life, and it may have even begun to shape who I am…. that statement can really bite me in the behind can't it? Yep. Anyway, I'll be focusing on the classic episodes of Spongebob (season 1-3) because even the good episodes of modern spongebob are completely different in feel then the classic episodes and it would feel like meshing two completely different shows. I don't know, I might be able to make a list regarding those episodes but… then I have to watch a whole bunch of modern episodes and I don't want to do that at all. (sniff)

Now, a few things we should know. First I’m not going to cheat and put the movie on number 1. Also, ahem, Only my own opinion is being represented in this countdown, and in no way, shape, or form am I saying that my opinion is the be all say all. Out loud. But with that out of the way, let’s dive right in to the pineapple under the sea.

10. Pizza Delivery (S1 E 5A)

This is a classic Spongebob episode, and one of the episodes most people immediately think of when they hear Spongebob. But why is it so popular, I mean it’s about delivering pizza. What’s next, an episode about writing an essay… oh yea. But, what makes this episode good isn’t what’s happening, but who it’s happening too. This episode is mostly just Spongebob and Squidward working off each other and having nothing to do but talk….

What I mean, is that this episode is all about the interaction of these two characters. Yes, the struggle to delivering the pizza is one thing that keeps the episode together, but it’s the interactions that makes this episode, and in the end when it feels Spongebob’s determination throughout the episode was useless, c’mon, it’s pretty satisfying to see Squidward stand up for Spongebob.

PIZZA'D SON!

9. Welcome to the Chum Bucket (S2 E 14A)

Welcome to the Chum Bucket. Mr. Crabs bets Spongebob in a card game and loses, and now Spongebob works for the Chum Bucket. Plankton orders Spongebob to make him a krabby patty, but Spongebob gets too depressed to make anything. Plankton wants to put Spongebob’s brain into a robot, but Karen tells Plankton to try warming up to Spongebob. So Plankton tries to make the Chum Bucket as Spongebob friendly as possible. This is both, a fun and a pretty emotional episode. We get more into the relation between Spongebob and Mr. Krabs, and we get to see Plankton’s desperate attempts to work with Spongebob. It’s a good commentary on leadership and the pros and cons of both opposites. Plus it’s pretty funny to see Plankton getting plaid around, and it makes for some funny lines.

"YOU LOSE YOUR BRAIN PRIVILEGES!" - Plankton

But more importantly, it shows how important Spongebob is in his position. Spongebob belongs in the Krusty Krab, and the Krusty Krab needs Spongebob. It’s yin and yang. Also, it shows how a different environment can affect someone and I’m looking way too much into this. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this episode feels complete. It manages to be pretty heartfelt in it's own Spongebob-y way. In a way, this is an upgraded version of New Leaf. I liked New Leaf, but all the things I don't like about that episode become the highlights of this episode.

That song though.

8. Frakendoodle (S2 E 14B)

Frankendoodle. This one really stood out to me as a kid and I think it’s because this episode is kind of different. Basically, Spongebob and Patrick find a giant pencil that has the ability to bring life to whatever it draws. Of course they abuse it and create a drawing of Spongebob called Frankendoodle, who turns out to be wacko. For the first time there seems to be an actual threat to the show other than Plankton. The previous episodes mostly focused on casual events, and that’s nice but taking a fresh take with adding a villain for one episode was a really good move. And may I say, Frankendoodle is actually kind of scary for Spongebob standards.

Ok… he's still kind of doofy looking but we are talking about Spongebob. At least we HAVE a new villain! That's new! Oh… yea, speaking of which. Though I hate to bring the newer episodes into this, I feel it’s a good time to bring them up. I feel like the main reason the newer episodes aren’t too good is because they aren’t doing anything to freshen the formula. Here in the newer episodes you can see that they were making an effort to change things up, as you may see in further episodes in this list. Sometimes you need to add something different, and Frankendoodle was exactly what the recipe called for. This episode manages to keep it’s light hearted tone with a larger threat in the mix.

So keeping it's Spongebob charm while straying away from the formula and raising the stakes immensely, Frakendoodle is definitely one of the most memorable episodes of the show.

7. Born Again Krabs (S3 E 16A)

Wait… this episode about Mr. Krabs, to put it bluntly, dies comes right after the episode where Mr. Krabs goes through his mid-life crisis.

Huh… I guess Spongebob has a bit more continuity then I thought, that HAD to be intentional. Anyway, there's ONE key word I can use to make this episode so great… CONTRAST

Now here’s the synopsis. Mr. Krabs eats a rotten krabby patty and goes to the hospital There the flying Dutchman comes to bring Mr. Krabs to the after life in Davy Jones’ Locker for being cheap during his life time. Plus may I say this was the first time I was introduced to the idea that bad people get punished in the after life. Yea, spongebob was the first one to teach me about hell, ironic huh? Anyway, Mr. Krabs begs for forgiveness, saying he can change. The flying Dutchman gives him that opputunity and sends him back to the world of the living for him to change his ways, and for the most part he does. The majority of the episode is Mr. Krabs being completely generous, which is the complete opposite of his character. It feels so surreal to see a character be the complete opposite of him or her self, I love it.

IT'S A REVERSE SPONGEBOB CHRISTMAS CAROL!

But as the episode goes on, you slowly see minor sings of Krabs snapping, until he realizes that this isn’t a nightmare then he completely and utterly snaps. Again, a wonderful payoff with an episode worth of build up. And the last few minutes goes places I don’t think I should quite spoil, but it also goes into how far Mr. Krabs would go for a few cents. This is a very interesting episode to check out.

6. Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy (S!, E 6A)

There are a lot of Mermaid man and Barnicale Boy episodes, but I think my favorite is the very first one. Spongebob and Patrick meet up with their two favorite super heroes in the retirement home, finding out that the mighty heroes they saw on TV are now old and quite slow. The heroes are perfectly happy being retired, but Spongebob and Patrick are determined to get them back into action. First may I say how good of an idea this is. Superheroes have to grow old sometime, and spending their entire lives fighting evil may do something to you after the years.

"….", fill in the blank yourself, you all know the line. l:(

Though I do empathize with Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, I do also want them to come back into action, since there’s still a hint that the heroes miss their old lives as well, evidence pointing to Mermaid Man heroically collecting his meatloaf and Barnacle Boy's constantly agitated and bored personality.

It’s pretty much just a good idea fully realized, and it’s a fun episode I love seeing from time to time.

5. Christmas Who? (S2 E8)

CHRISTMAS SON! Yea… sorry for those who don't celebrate Christmas, Spongebob never did make that Hanukkah or Kwanza special. I guess "Don't be a Jerk It's Hanukkah" doesn't have as much or a ring to it. But never the less, this episode ranks among the best of the man christmas specials out there.

Sandy introduces Christmas to Spongebob, who introduces it to the rest of Bikini Bottom. All join in on the Christmas spirit except for Squidward of course.

This episode, like other Holiday specials, has extra room to be heart warming. It also emphasizes why Spongebob is such a good main character in my eyes, he’s innocent. One of my major gripes about the newer episdoes is that there’s no difference between Spongebob and Patrick, they’re both the same kind of idiots! But here, it’s clear that Patrick is the dumb one and Spongebob is just innocent and a little naïve. You see Spongebob genuinely entranced by the traditions of Christmas and wanting to experience it for himself, ignoring all the possibilities that he may never see it, despite all the things Squidward is saying. Even Squidward can’t ignore that though Spongebob may be a little too pushy about this, he’s still doing it for the good reason and he wants others to experience the magic with him. Anyway, this is a wonderful Holiday special and every time Christmas is coming, I like to pop this in. Regardless of the holiday you choose to celebrate this episode captures the good feels all of those holidays try to spread and every time I watch this episode I just want to go outside and give an orphan a hug, and that is a good measure of a great episode in general.

4. The Algae's Always Greener (S3, E 1A)

Ever wondered what would happen if the villain who always wants to conquer the world, or any other goal, knew what they’re actually getting into? RESPONSIBILITY! Well, this is what The Algae is Always Greener is about. Plankton switches lives with Mr. Krabs to experience his life, but then he must struggle all the problems that Mr. Krabs feels in his life. Here he must struggle with Pearl trying to get his money, Spongebob being Spongebob.

"Soiled it. Soiled it".

Oh… I soiled it all right.

He must also struggle with Squidward’s moodiness, the high expectations of the customers, and keeping the formula safe from Mr. Krabs, thus the title, The Algae is Always Greener, obviously supposing to resemble the phrase “The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side”. It always feels like the other person has the better deal no matter what position you are, and that’s the message here. Everyone has their share of issues, and though it may not seem like it, it could be you who has the gift…. or that life sucks no matter who you are but let's try to be positive here.

So with an interesting message, insight on Mr. Krab’s and Plankton’s characters, and some of the funniest moments in the show, this episode had to be this high! However, I do admit, the naked Mr. Krabs scene is a little weird.

"Well… I'll see you all in therapy" - Plankton

3. The Krusty Krab Training Video (S3, E 10B)

If you were to ask me why I love Spongebob so much, I would walk you through this episode. The Krusty Krab Training Video has all you need to know in the title. I think that this episode has everything I love about Spongebob in it, and it makes sence. This episode doesn’t have a specific plot to follow, so this is basically their excuse to do whatever they want. There are a whole bunch of different jokes they threw at us, ranging from Plankton’s escape to the long reveal of the krabby patty.

I don’t know what else there is to say. I guess some things are just good, and there’s no way to explain it. I guess some times it’s just good to give in to the madness and enjoy something, even if you don’t know why you enjoy it in the first place.

SPONGEBOB IS AWESOME SUCKERS!

2. The Camping Episode (S3, E 17B)

Why is this episode so high on the list? I don’t know, do you know, because I don’t know. Who knows anymore. Do you know?When a camping episode is called, The Camping Episode, you know it’s going to be interesting. And I think in a way similar to Pizza Delivery, this episode is mostly about little moments. Spongebob and Patrick go camping right in front of Squidward’s house, and Squidward wants to prove that he can handle camping so he joins them. Simple plot, wonderful payoff. Who could forget that legendary camping song for instance?

It’s one of the few songs that’s actually a game, and often some of my friends and I like to sing this song as fast as we can. Little touches like that make an episode much more memorable, but there are other things too. The sea bear act for instance is one of my favorite Spongebob moments as a whole. I don't know, maybe fish getting mauled reminds me of cooking shows, but there's just something hilarious about Squidward getting attacked because he can't draw a simple sea bear proof circle.

"What did I do this time!?" - Squidward"I don't know. Maybe he just doesn't like you!" - Spongebob

Despite being a really simple episode at it’s core, this makes it’s way as the second most memorable Spongebob episode in my eyes.

1. Band Geeks (S2, E 15b)

Song's awesome. Now that I got that out of the way…

This episode is about Squidward starting a band in order to compete with his rival Squilliam, and his search attracts all of the other major and minor characters of the show. Spongebob, Mr. Krabs, Plankton, Mrs. Puff, Sandy, and with the majority of the Spongebob cast in one room this episode pretty much writes itself. This is Pizza Delivery set on

SUPER UBER MEGA ULTRA PANDAFIST LEVELS

Band Geeks is quite possibly the perfect episode of the show… most definitely the most fun overall. I could make a separate Top 10 list of just moments from this episode alone and I feel like sharing some of those quotes is almost enough to do this episode justice.

And that's just scratching the surface. This is by far my favorite Spongebob episode of all time. This episode was originally just on number four, but after taking the time to just sit down and talk about it I realized…. this is incredible. And the best part about this…. in the end, Squidward actually wins. Yea… Squidward actually gets a moment of glory, which even in classic or even good Spongebob in general is pretty rare! So… this episode represents the best the show has to offer and apparently a lot of people agree with me, this episode has won AWARDS! And it deserved it, this is Spongebob's magnum opus.

All photos used in this blog are not my own. All photos and Spongebob itself belongs to it's respective owners.

Honerable Mentions:

Just One Bite, Wet Painters, Can You Spare a Dime, and Chocolate with Nuts.